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Shenandoah River - Main Stem - Maps & Access

Put in at VDGIF ramp located off of Rt. 340 beside the bride over the North Fork in Front Royal. Takeout at VDGIF ramp at Morgan's Ford on the right by the low-water bridge (Rt. 642). This section of the river is slow-moving and deep, producing quality catfish, bluegill, largemouth bass and carp fishing. A dam four miles downstream requires a portage. Takeout allows rough trailer access, although a canoe is recommended for this float due to the portage.

Put in at VDGIF ramp beside the low-water bridge on Rt. 624. Canoes and limited trailer access is available at this ramp. Takeout is under the Rt. 50 bridge at the VDGIF concrete launch on the left side of the river. This is an 11-mile float with a fairly even mix of riffles, runs and pools. It offers excellent fishing for smallmouth and bluegills, as well as muskellunge. Canoeists of all experience levels should enjoy this float.

Put in under the Rt. 50 bridge east of Winchester. Takeout on left at Lockes, Rt. 621. Both VDGIF sites offer concrete ramps for canoe or trailer launching. Numerous small riffles and Class I rapids combined with an abundance of aquatic vegetation offer spectacular angling opportunities. This section boasts one of several Indian fish trap remnants found on the river system.

Put in at ramp Rt. 608 in Clarke County. Take out at the Rt. 7 low-water bridge. Both VDGIF access sites offer concrete ramps for canoe or trailer launching, This section has numerous riffles and Class I rapids. Lots of rock cover adds to the smallmouth fishing. Bluegills are also plentiful in this section.

Maps and driving directions may not work for all locations. Map information provided through Google is intended for planning purposes only. You may find that construction projects, traffic conditions, or other events may differ from the map results.